YOKOSUKA, Japan — USS Antietam (CG 54) the U.S. Navy’s most capable Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser is expected to complete a hull swap with USS Cowpens (CG 63) on 5 February 2013, in the latest upgrade to the capabilities of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces operating out of Yokosuka with the U.S. 7th Fleet.

The crew of USS Cowpens, which has been forward deployed to Japan since June of 2000, will relinquish command of Cowpens and take command of Antietam. The San Diego crew of Antietam will take command of Cowpens. A small number of the Antietam crew will remain with the ship due to the new systems that were installed during its recent mid-life guided missile cruiser modernization in San Diego.

USS Antietam’s joining of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces is part of the Navy’s long range plan to rotate newer and more capable units forward. Increasing capabilities of the FDNF supports the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan and the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of Defense, or the United States Department of the Navy of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sites, the United States Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this DoD web site.